Operation get a Free Agent!!!!

[Balony_pony16]

Ok So free agency is coming up, and there shouldn't be much debate why we are a team that could offer 1 or 2 of the free agents a very good contract.

We have been screwed by the expansion teams with draft picks, so why not make the Free agency a huge win for us.

Here is a list of potential targets.

Travis Cloke
No Brainer...we must get involved in the bidding. Best contested mark in the comp, and only 25 years old. Would fit into the Lions forward structure/game plan-style.

Leigh Montagna
classy running midfield player...is just what we need. Loves the media and would become the face of our club for years post the Brown era.

Brent Moloney
We need a mature body in the midfield post Black for a few more years...28 years...might have a solid 3-4 years left...Worthwhile?

Goddard
No explanation...but surely GWS bound?

essendon mdifielders
Stanton, Monfries, Lovett-Murray, dyson...all solid options. Its the petty the bombers fans stop booing Stanton, as it may have been easy to get him out

Brent Harvey
still has another 10 years left in him...get him!

Matt Rosa
Like this guy, and would have a big role in our team...pay back for the eagles going hard for Rich after just 3 seasons?

Obviously there are heaps more...

Thoughts on who you want, and Why

 

[Balony_pony16]

I want Travis cloke, and Montagna...Both would fill massive holes in our team, whilst adding some desperate Elite class to the team

 

[pulpdriver]

Goddard or Cloke would be a tremendous get, Montagna would be handy but not sure we could really get any of them. Cloke has loyalty ties to Collingwood and if he does leave for money we would have to offer more than Freo's $1 million a year offer. I suppose with Mitch leaving, Fevola's backpay ending next year and Brown and Black approaching the tail end we could potentially afford him but that's serious coin.
Would love Goddard but we won't be able to outbid GWS and there will be plenty of other interested parties. Maybe if he decides he wants to live in Queensland?
Montagna seems comfy in Melbourne and has media ties with 7, seems like he's aiming for a media career post footy and would be unlikely to give up the opportunities living in Melbourne affords him. If Goddard does leave Saints can also pay him more to keep him happy to help their own youngsters develop as they begin their rebuild.
Might be better to focus on drafting and developing the youngsters we have and snatch a prime target when we're closer to being a finals team.

 

[chopperduck]

None to all of them thanks. Keep rebuilding via the draft. Don't want to fork out the cash for any of them.

 

[dlanod]

I'd only go for youth and value. The way the AFL structured free agency, with the age limits involved, it means that you can only budget on having the services of the player for 4-5 years and IMO we'd be cutting it close in our recovery for that.

The interesting part of free agency is the ability to sign delistees without going through the draft. I could see some value in those, i.e. a club with deep stocks of small forwards or pacy midfielders having to let one or two go.

 

[Haso]

Yeah, not a fan of that list. Cloke would be the most appropriate age-wise, considering our youth tactic at present. Skill-wise he is what we need as well, but price-wise he is not.

Alos, how weird would it be having a Cloke up here? Not for us, thanks.

 

[POBT]

The only free agent I would go for is a key tall forward. Our midfield might well mature in the next 12-24 months and we've got a solid enough defence for hopefully the next 3 years but we're lacking elite forward options. Getting a Cloke or someone similar would put as back in the place we would have been had we kept Clark (and he had an attitude readjustment).

 

[Hollow Knight]

Tippett and Beams are the ones I want from other clubs.

No free agents seem a good fit for us this year IMO.

Going after opposition players is only one part of the free agency picture. Protecting our players from opposition raids is the other. Consolidate what we have first.

 

[adey115]

None.

You pick them up if you're in the premiership window because at max you're talking about 3-4 years of quality.

We're not in our premiership window.

Next!

 

[POBT]

None.

You pick them up if you're in the premiership window because at max you're talking about 3-4 years of quality.

We're not in our premiership window.

Next!

The question is whether a free agent (or two) could actually propel you into a premiership window. I'm of the view that Cloke could do this to us within 2 years of being here. And the only cost is an enormous salary.

I guess my point is that there is a tendency right now to look at free agency as the cherry on top when it could actually have a transformative effect on your club. And, unlike trade week, you don't pay the price in terms of draft picks or players.

As an example, imagine the transformative effect of Browny could have had on clubs like Melbourne or Richmond 5 years ago.

(NB, I did say on the other thread that getting Cloke is a pipedream).

 

[Lionheart Penno]

Tippett and Beams are the ones I want from other clubs.

No free agents seem a good fit for us this year IMO.

Going after opposition players is only one part of the free agency picture. Protecting our players from opposition raids is the other. Consolidate what we have first.

Lets not go down the path of selling the farm for a player unless they harbour a true desire to embrace the Qld lifestyle. Hence Beams is a possibility with his desire to play with his Brother while Tippett is a Qlder who would no doubt want to get out of the city of churches.

There is going to be plenty of competition for signatures come season end and one would think if we could compile some quality wins it could only help us become a desired destination.

Consolidation and ensuring our Polecs and Longers stay committed to the club is more of a priority in my book.

 

[Swanny10]

Tippett and Beams are the ones I want from other clubs.

No free agents seem a good fit for us this year IMO.

Going after opposition players is only one part of the free agency picture. Protecting our players from opposition raids is the other. Consolidate what we have first.

Agree TBD. Would personally add Armitage to that list too.

 

[Old Den]

The only free agent I would go for is a key tall forward. Our midfield might well mature in the next 12-24 months and we've got a solid enough defence for hopefully the next 3 years but we're lacking elite forward options. Getting a Cloke or someone similar would put as back in the place we would have been had we kept Clark (and he had an attitude readjustment).

Ditto...as I have already posted several times elsewhere...let's fill the great big black hole in the forwards....getting Lisle didn't exactly do it ...yet anyhow...Free Agent or trade for Tippett...Let's just do it.

 

[Toffee Lion]

Ditto...as I have already posted several times elsewhere...let's fill the great big black hole in the forwards....getting Lisle didn't exactly do it ...yet anyhow...Free Agent or trade for Tippett...Let's just do it.

Ehh, He's still only 21.

Heaps of time to develop and improve IMO.

 

[adey115]

The question is whether a free agent (or two) could actually propel you into a premiership window. I'm of the view that Cloke could do this to us within 2 years of being here. And the only cost is an enormous salary.

I guess my point is that there is a tendency right now to look at free agency as the cherry on top when it could actually have a transformative effect on your club. And, unlike trade week, you don't pay the price in terms of draft picks or players.

As an example, imagine the transformative effect of Browny could have had on clubs like Melbourne or Richmond 5 years ago.

(NB, I did say on the other thread that getting Cloke is a pipedream).

Your point is a good one, but I don't think the addition of one or two from that list is going to propel us to the window. Other mid-tier teams like a Richmond yes, but not us as yet. Time and gametime will propel us - for players like Longer, Lisle, Retz or Acorn (I don't think both will work - one of the two will develop), PatK... In two or three years time, we'll be hoping they've developed like Rocky and Redden have - into good quality players. That's where I'd prefer us to be feeling the pain now - try and play guys like Longer and Retz and PatK in three-four week spells at AFL level, regardless of the results, and keep them in the spots we think they'll be in in 3 years time.

I like the concept of having senior players around youngsters (experienced minds and bodies), but I see guys like Brown and Black in those roles already.

So I see more value in us chasing a Tippett for instance (a non-FA) rather than a Cloke for instance, iif we were thinking CHF.

 

[Old Den]

Ehh, He's still only 21.

Heaps of time to develop and improve IMO.

Which is the reason I inserted the words yet anyhow in regards to Lisle...we need a classy developed tall forward specialist for next year as Brown approaches retirement and despite the return of Staker who is a true utility and can play various roles.

Then it is up to Cornelius,Retzlaff,Lester,Karnezis,Crisp and Lisle et al to come through by showing (hopefully) a lot of improvement...hope is like promises...you can't live on it.

 

[HPLion]

While I do not discount the free trade option, I struggle to see how we can attract a high calibre player to the Lions in the near term.


My reasoning is that we are the only team in a non AFL state that does not have a salary cap advantage (I think I am correct in saying that Sydney has a higher than normal cap of some sort) and also that we do not currently offer the upside of GC or GWS or the more immediate option of finals footy with Sydney.


To me this means that:


1. We will likely be outbid on salary.
2. We may offer a higher salary but the free agent will see more opportunity elsewhere (eg Sydney).


Also being a non AFL state the go-home factor provides limited opportunities.


This leaves us with the draft for now but with the free trade option coming into play possibly down the track to meet a specific need.

 

[Eons]

What TBD said.

Tippett and Beams would be amazing gets and would improve our side dramatically. We'd be giving up our first 3 picks for them so it comes down to how we rate the kids we would get with these picks in the draft.

 

[dlanod]

My reasoning is that we are the only team in a non AFL state that does not have a salary cap advantage (I think I am correct in saying that Sydney has a higher than normal cap of some sort) and also that we do not currently offer the upside of GC or GWS or the more immediate option of finals footy with Sydney.

Yep, we're the only non-AFL state team that doesn't have extra in the salary cap.

 

[Sammy94]

Tippett
Beams
Armitage

Those are my three, all qlders as well, the first two do have desires to come home, ns bout Armitage though.

 

[patfullfankezz]

How 'bout we show some love the the boys we already have before looking for new ones, especially ones who are the enemy and probably have other-team germs. YUCK.

I'd prefer we ignore the free agents and go straight for the impressionable youngins. Brainwashing them will be a lot easier

 

[lionshine]

How 'bout we show some love the the boys we already have before looking for new ones, especially ones who are the enemy and probably have other-team germs. YUCK.

I'd prefer we ignore the free agents and go straight for the impressionable youngins. Brainwashing them will be a lot easier

Like Patfull who probably has Port Adelaide germs

 

[patfullfankezz]

Like Patfull who probably has Port Adelaide germs

He never played a senior game for them though...so not so many germs.

I like to think that we rescued his poor young innocent soul from the evil yuckiness of Port. We could try poaching rookies perhaps?

 

[Caiphus]

I've been thinking about giving Lindsay Gilbee a shot if he can get back to fitness, we need all the elite disposal we can get. And it would be awesome to have a right-footed Drummond... probably never get both on the park at the same time though.

 

[Balony_pony16]

How 'bout we show some love the the boys we already have before looking for new ones, especially ones who are the enemy and probably have other-team germs. YUCK.

I'd prefer we ignore the free agents and go straight for the impressionable youngins. Brainwashing them will be a lot easier

Yeah im sure our boys would hate to snag cloke...they would rather play against him. Teams change every season...player come in through the trade, draft, and now FA. It is important that we get the best players into the team for our players, club, and supporters